During the first week in June, sitting at my computer and deleting the junk mail I stop to look at Travelzoo. There was an offer for an Alaskan cruise for 7 days from Seattle, WA. My vacation schedule coordinated with the cruise days and my son was on spring/summer break from college. I started to get excited. I didn’t plan anything for vacation, but I needed one desperately. I called my son’s cell phone, “Do you want to go to Alaska with me?” His answer was quiet, but firm: “Mom –YES- but I am in the movie theater, bye!”

This was the beginning of our journey to Alaska. With quick help of our wonderful agent, Dasa, at the Village Travel Agency in Brookline, Massachusetts, we booked a direct Jet Blue flight to Seattle and a cruise to Alaska with the Holland America line.

Dream Vacation Alaska 2008

In 14 days we were leaving Boston for the first time to the west coast. We were lucky to arrange a reunion after 10 years with our longtime friends in Seattle, Washington, and started exploring the cold northern state of the USA, Alaska.

We focused our trip on natural beauty that surrounded us, i.e., icebergs, eagles, bears, whales, and waterfalls. We had seen a sign for kayak trips into the wilderness. Me, an inexperience passenger, survived under my son’s directions on my first kayak trip. I heard later at dinner Adrian’s comment: “Mom was struggling in the beginning a lot and I was ready to tip the kayak over, but after she learned fast, and we were one of the fastest ones there. Oh what a proud mom I was after his comment!!!

We visited an Alaskan Salmon Bake near a stream and beautiful waterfall. Earlier that day we had spent our time on deck watching the glacial walls fall away into the water below.

Our highlights from Alaska were a flight in a helicopter and a dog sled ride. At first it was a little scary, but in the end it was truly amazing. We will never forget these experiences.

In conclusion, we had a real dream vacation. The weather was approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the best all year. Nothing was late, the food and cruise were perfect and everywhere the people were very friendly.

Thank you, Dasa and VillageTravel for an unforgettable memory and long-term travel arrangements!!!